Ball Pass

The Caroline Face

While reading and preparing for my trip to New Zealand, I deliberated a long time about whether to try to climb Aoraki / Mount Cook or not. In the end, I decided that I didn't have enough experience yet.

Instead, I settled for the Ball Pass Crossing, much easier, but it still a fine high alpine route, and it gets you very close to the mountain with spectacular views of the 2000m Caroline Face on the south-east of Aoraki.

It's an easy glacier route - but be warned, people have died there.

This small ice field on the Hooker Valley side of Ball Pass is the crux of the route: it's imperative to self-arrest very quickly if you fall here. The route from the saddle stays high while heading to the scree next to the ice, thus avoiding the steepest sections.

Early morning on the Caroline face

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External Links

Alpine Recreation owns and operates Caroline Hut, and offers guided treks over Ball Pass (as well as many others).